Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance: Destiny's Blood Ties
by Solus Ortis
Summary: The second coming of the demon king is imminent, but the beings tied to that great name were split by a singe question. Will his successor be his male blood descendant? Or will it be the male elementaler born with undeniable talent?
1. Chapter 1

**Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance: Destiny's Blood Ties**

**Chapter 1**

**Dreams of the Dark King**

* * *

><p><em>Much like that of the Spirit War and that of Ren Ashdoll, few in the world today both spirit and human know what truly happened in the war the man called the Demon King Solomon. Some called them villains only interested in strengthening their own power at the expense of others, but there were also those who called them heroes fighting for what's truly right in the world or worlds as the case may be. Still no one denied the fact that they both used dark magic and committed acts that can only be described as genocide by their own kind. The many that called them villains considered this as further proof to their point, however the few that called them heroes believed that they were simply doing what was necessary for a better world.<em>

"Your majesty Solomon, the last of your forces are doing what they can to hold the main gate but they cannot possibly last against such numbers. There are also reports that a team of maidens led by Areishia have infiltrated the castle. They appear to be heading towards your throne room." a young woman said with a great deal of urgency in her voice.

_Dark clouds hang over a dark castle as the many sounds of war can be heard going on around it, but that means little to the woman who had just spoke. That woman had long hair as black as snow is white, was wearing clothes fitting a queen, and in her arms she held tightly a small child a baby in fact with the slightest glimmers white hair. Though the danger was close this young woman and her child were safe in the castle's highest chambers._

"Eula my wife, my queen, my oldest friend, and mother of my child this was something I already knew. I ordered the remains of all those who fought with me that are still on the outside to surrender." The Demon King Solomon informed.

_There were many renderings of the Demon King's appearance but in actuality he was a tall youthful looking man with white hair, blue eyes, a scar over his right eye, and was wearing shiny black armor made to suit his title. He had his back to his queen as he stared out of the window of this particular chamber and watched as down below the remainder of those who declared their loyalty to him submit to the will of an opposing force._

"But my love….. why?" the queen of darkness Eula asked though the woman herself was actually very kind.

"My crusade to liberate both man and spirit from the cruelty and selfishness of the Elemental Lords has failed. My punishment has been to see the last of my friends die, my lands destroyed, and for me to likely be remembered as a great villain when all I wished to do was help others. Those who fought with me deserve not my fate, but instead a normal life away from the confines of war." Said the demon king in a solemn sad tone of voice.

"Then I shall stay with you until the end my love." Eula declared.

"No I shall not allow it!" the man who was called the demon king yelled.

_But before the man who contradicts the title of demon or his wife could say another word…. an older man clad in heavy armor already covered in blood burst into the room._

"You're late Xerath, but I give much thanks to you the man who among the last of the few male spirit elementalers who chose to stick with me until the end for doing this." the Demon King Solomon said still staring out of this high window.

"My lord I must take your wife and child soon if we are to meet with band of those like us." Xerath declared.

"Love what is he talking about?" Eula asks.

"I will not allow my wife to be marched through the capital cities of the nations who banded together to defeat me as a prize nor will I allow my son to go through a similar fate, so I've made arrangements with a small band of male elementalers disguising themselves as simple gypsies to take you in." Solomon explained.

"Allow me to explain the rest my lord. My lady….. for the sake of survival some the remaining male elementalers from around the world have come together knowing their titles, wealth, and accomplishments will mean nothing in the wake of the common man's hatred." Xerath quickly explained.

"Hatred that my actions have partially justified, but if only I could only prove my innocence for the remainder then perhaps the peaceful utopia we all sought would be here. Some of these men at best will have the fact they were elementalers made non-existent and at worst will likely be erased from history entirely like that of Ren Ashdoll. Some of these men made great contributions to the world, and it's even made more ironic by the fact that certain members of this band played key roles in the victories that led to my final defeat. They especially deserve to be remembered as heroes in their homelands instead of being ostracized simply because of their gender and power." Solomon explained as he clenched his hands in quiet rage.

_They're lucky they could have such a conversation together despite the screams of death and flashes of magical power going on around them, but I suppose that's to be expected of the men loyal to the one who is called the demon king and of the men who swore to defeat him._

"My lord I must take your wife and son out of the castle now if they wish to have any hope of survival." Xerath declared.

"I know Xerath, but first I have final words I must say to my son." Solomon declared.

_Now in this moment imagine your role as an invisible and inaudible participant in this conversation being changed into something else. Imagine that role being the part of the demon king's newborn son as you stare out of his eyes as if they were your own. You see your father approach you ready to give you his final words of wisdom, but you wouldn't remember it since you were nothing more than a babe._

"My son I have set up a means for you, your male descendants, or potentially a male elementaler completely outside of my line to obtain the power of my legacy and do what I could not. To liberate humans and spirits from the rule of the Elemental Lords, so that all may live in true peace. If this means I have created chooses to recognize an elementaler outside of our line as the successor for my dream…. I hope for you serve as his sword and shield much like Xerath has for me. If you're gone from this world by the time this occurs…. Then I hope your descendants do the same." The Demon King Solomon said with a straight face.

_Though this white haired man spoke with a straight face… enough tears were flowing down it to prove the love he had for his son and the regret he felt knowing he would never see him as a man._

"I'm sorry I'll never be able to read for you, I'm sorry I'll never be able to sit you upon my lap, I'm sorry I'll never be there to hear about your first love, or see you marry her, I'm sorry that I won't be able to teach you what I know like how my father did for me, but most of all I'm sorry I won't be able to do the same for your children. I will be remembered as an evil horrible thing, and all though I don't deny that I used dark magic to kill my enemies as well as a couple cities worth of innocents in the process….. know that I was framed for many of the horrible acts that will be tied to my name by agents of the Elemental Lords." the Demon King Solomon said as he could no longer hold back the remainder of the tears that build up inside him.

"My love you should not let your son see you cry like this. You will live through the night and do all of the things you declared for him." Eula said as she passed her husband her handkerchief.

"Thank you my queen, but this will be the last time I see you. Areishia is strong enough where even if I do manage to prevail against her….. I'll be in such a state where any of her comrades will be able to slay me. Now… Restia and Santo…. come out I know you're there." Solomon ordered.

"How did I not sense their presence?" Xerath thought as he was surprised by his lord's declaration.

_There was only one part of this chamber completely covered by darkness and out of that darkness came a young girl with black wings, wearing a night-colored dress, with long black hair and dusk colored eyes. The other presence… this Santo…. didn't budge from the cover of darkness._

"Restia as you were my first of my 72 contract spirits please fight with me in my final battle. You may die if you do, but I won't blame you should you choose to leave me." Solomon requests.

"I would never leave you." Restia said as he walked up to her contracted master.

"Thank you, but I must also make another request of you. When I die leave this place as fast as you can, and become the blade of my dream's successor." Solomon ordered.

_The man called the demon king opened his right hand. The moment he did so Restia transformed into a black sword with red trimmings along the edge and purple additions along the center of the blade only to have her hilt grabbed by the open hand of the demon. Right after the transformation was complete Solomon slashed the stone wall in front of him creating an exit….. no an entrance to his final battle._

"Santo… though you are or were depending on how you look at it my wife's contract spirit I have a request to make of you as well." Solomon informed.

"What is it? For as long as my master is willing to do anything for you so shall I." Santo asks.

"As you protect my wife… please protect my son and the strongest of his descendants regardless of whether or not they become my successor. Will you do this for me…. a man who will be remembered as evil?" Solomon asks.

"But of course. I know you are a good man, and that is enough for me." Santo answered.

_Solomon finally turned around as he stood at the entrance he created only to stare intently at this room, his wife, and his son one final time as if trying to burn the memories these things brought him into the depths of his soul._

"Though you won't remember any of the things I've said…. these my son… are my final words to you. I know I will be remembered as a villain, but know I die as what I've always wanted to be….. a hero to the people!" Solomon yelled.

* * *

><p><em>After this demon king should you still wish to call him that made his final proclamation….. he jumped out of this high point and into the fray below. Are these images you see going on before you the truth? Or are they illusions of grandeur? Regardless you the readers of this tale are not the only ones seeing what you're reading. In another world far far away there's a young boy sleeping against an oak tree dreaming about the same thing.<em>

"Arghhh! Oh…. it was that dream again." The boy yelled as he regained his bearings within the conscious realm.

_That boy has a strong resemblance to the man who may have been falsely given the title of demon king. This boy had the same kind of youthful appearance as the Demon King though one suited to a 16 year old, he too had light complexion skin, he too had white hair though long enough where his bangs partially cover his eyes, those eyes were the same shade of blue as him, and over his right eye was a birthmark in the same shape as the scar over the eye of the man called the demon king._

"You had that dream again didn't you?" a feminine sounding voice asked, but its owner was nowhere to be seen.

_That boy was wearing a black cloak with a hood hiding whatever he may be wearing underneath, and hung over his back wrapped in a dirtied white cloth is a great sword about 110 to 120 cm long where the only noticeable features about it are its black pommel and black leather strip tightly wrapped around the grip._

"Yeah….. it perfectly matches the tales my father told me about how Solomon was a kind man framed for many of the deeds tied to his name in the history book. I wonder if this vision was the truth of what happened on the demon king's final day centuries ago. Or is it merely a long standing illusion caused by the stories my father used to tell me?" the boy said to the invisible presence as he stares at his shaking right hand.

"Look I know you miss him Faro, but we should really get going. Our destination is only a few more hours away." The invisible presence informed as she spoke with a concerned voice.

_This boy… this Faro picked himself off the ground and started cleaning up what appeared to be a simple campsite. The remains of fire, a beaten up sleeping bag, a small bag filled with Faro's belongings, and a cantina were what this simple campsite consisted of. Naturally it doesn't take him very long to clean it all up._

"I know Cenere." Faro mumbled as he quickly resumes walking upon the path that'll lead him towards his destination.

"Look….. are you sure you should be taking this job? You risk being exposed for what you are if you're not careful. If you do you risk scrutiny beyond belief." Cenere pointed out.

"I know that too Cenere, but I remember well the lessons of my clan as well as the lessons I never wanted to learn when it comes concealing my power. If necessary I'll fight my way out, however I can't ignore how lucrative this simple contract is." Faro retorts as his face twitches at the thought of financial gain.

"You remember how our past contracts with lucrative pay went, and there's no way it'll be easy. We were contacted by the dusk witch herself to come to Areishia Spirit Academy. Do you have any what that means especially after the last job she had you do?" Cenere asks.

"It's within the old hag's nature to be exclusive when it comes to important information, but I doubt that's all I have to do this time. Also the last time she herself didn't see that interruption coming." Faro retorts.

"There's no way your task is that simple." Cenere responds.

"I've been requested by the dusk witch to teach a bunch of snobby princesses… mostly of who only pretend to be a knight the proper way to swing a sword. This isn't the first time I've had such a contract, so I don't see how it could possibly be complicated." Faro pointed out.

"Sigh….. if you say so…. I'll just do my best to assist you if it truly becomes necessary, but you still have that dream. Anyways do you really think she's only hiring you for a teaching position? I wonder how the other ladies will react to having a teacher not much older than they, but at any rate you realize the dusk witch will be angry with you since you couldn't come right when she contacted you a month ago?" Cenere asks.

"Oh not a fat chance in frozen hell…. she is definitely planning something, but it will be interesting to finally meet her in person. I just think that the excuse on the surface doesn't seem too complicated, and yes I realize she'll be miffed but it couldn't be helped after the last contract." Faro quickly answered.

"Yes I know you could barely move for a month after the injuries you sustained." Cenere retorts.

_Faro and presumably this…. Cenere who still has yet to reveal herself have continued walking down this forest path towards the famed school for Elementalers for the past several hours. On occasion they saw a bird fly over them or a random land critter of the local wild life scatter across the path ahead, but the biggest surprise had yet to be seen._

"Strange….." Faro mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Cenere asks with a tone of concern in her voice.

We should have entered the large clearing just outside of the academy's main gates about an hour ago. To be blunt….. we're lost." Faro explained.

"Ehhhh…. Why didn't you say something earlier?" a shocked Cenere asks.

"I wanted to make sure I didn't underestimate the distance, but now I'm positive… we are completely lost." Faro retorts.

"How will we get out of this then?" Cenere curiously asks.

"I heard from the citizens in the town we passed that students sometimes go into these forests to train. We'll have to hope we come across one willing to help us… or keep walking and hope I really underestimated the distance to the school." Faro calmly explained.

"Ah…. I guess that's fine then. You haven't answered my question from earlier yet though Faro." Cenere pointed out acting as an invisible wall preventing Far from advancing further down this path.

"My silence was my answer. You remember…. I tried to pay the entry fee 3 years ago, but they laughed me right out of the gate. Still….. I can't believe an elementaler that belongs to no nation or organization ended up winning the whole thing with ease. At any rate it'll happen again, so trying to accomplish that dream is pointless. Now…. I'm simply trying to survive from day to day. That's all anyone can really do… some…. better than others." Faro mumbled as he moved around this invisible presence so he could continue walking down this path.

"This life… you can't keep living it the way you have… otherwise.." Cenera started saying.

_Faro forced Cenera into a state of silence when he suddenly stretched his left arm outwards to the side as if to block the path of her invisible presence. Seconds after that a flock of birds dashed across the sky as if running away from something that intended to do them harm._

"I sense it too…. surges of divine power coming from a single source several meters in the direction your hand is pointing. What do you thing Faro?" Cenera asks.

"The surges are fluctuating too much for it to be an elementaler practicing their skills, but I can't be certain since I haven't interacted with enough of them." Faro answered.

"What will you do then?" Cenera asks.

"We're going to check to see what's going on for certain obviously. If it's simply an Elementaler training outside of the school I'll leave her alone. If it's a couple of students taking an argument too far I'll break it up and charge Greyworth for my troubles, but if in the off chance one of these noble ladies are being attacked by something… I'll deal with it accordingly and charge that noble lady's family appropriately." Faro explains to Cenera as he literally starts to walk off the beaten path.

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><p><em>A young lady at the source of the incident Cenera and Faro sensed started to scream causing Faro to raise the hood of his cloak over his face as he starts to run even faster than he was before. That lady much like how Faro was earlier was on the dirty forest floor with her back against a random tree. Look of fear upon her face aside this short young lady of 15 has a non-existent bust-line, frizzy green hair, pure yellow eyes, was 4' 8", light skinned, and her academy uniform was partially torn and dirtied by battle. Her elemental waffe was a staff equal to her height; it was colored a yellow even more pure than her eyes, covered by glowing runes, and etched by what appeared to be a few precious gems. As for the reason why this young maiden was scared out of her mind…. well blame the 2 female puckish rogues brandishing cutlass shaped elemental waffes that are steadily approaching her.<em>

"Well well I expected more of a fight from a member of the Sylphid Knights. In fact I expected more of an academy student." The first rogue said in a clearly arrogant tone of voice.

"What did you expect? They're all a bunch of brats who don't know what It means to fight." The second rogue laughs as she speaks in an equally arrogant manner.

"What….. do you want with me?" the academy student asks as she struggles to speak due to the injuries she's sustained.

"Still conscious… I guess we have to give her a little more props." The first rogue said with some surprise.

"But to answer your question….. we're here for you. A shy young lady who is the last of her noble line with the dream to rebuild it. You're one of the boss lady's favorite types to break. I wouldn't worry too much…. I was just like you at the beginning." The second rogue answered.

"Once your will has been broken….. your body and mind will be broken only to be changed to suit as the perfect plaything to be sold to one of her clients…. or you'll made like us… an enforcer of her will." The first rogue said happily as she had a crazed look on her face.

"Whether a servant of our master or a plaything of a client…. You'll be drowned in pleasures and luxuries an elementaler would never be able to know until old age nor will you have to deal with the same social obligations. Now why don't you come with us willingly? You'll make the journey….. and the training much easier for you." the second rogue declared.

"No…. there are still things I have to do, people I want to see, and I have to win the Blade Dance to make that happen. I'll never go with you!" this academy student yelled with what strength she has left.

"Too bad you can't resist us." The second rogue smirks.

"Your body, your mind, your dreams, and your emotions…. Everything now belongs to the boss." The first rogue declared as she and the second one reached for something in the pouches attached to their waist.

"It looks like we'll have to use the tranquilizer darts after all." The second rogue said as she and her cohort pull out a blowgun.

"I'm surprised the first shot wasn't enough to take her down, but one more from the both of us should do it." the first rogue retorts.

_Inhale, place mouth on blowgun, and one massive exhale. These three simple motions are all it takes for these two malcontents to send a couple of darts flying towards this defenseless academy student. These malcontents implied that all these darts will do is knock her unconscious, but she has no reason to take them at their word so naturally the fear of death washes over her._

"Once she's out it'll only take us a few days to get back to Gora Drakona." The first rogue declared.

"No…. no…. onii-chan save me!" this academy student yelled at the top of her lungs as these toxic darts are only inches away from her face.

_Now imagine the music that represents battle in this world starting to play as these chloroform covered darts get even closer to this poor girl, but at the last second these darts are tossed aside like they're nothing the moment they come into contact with Faro's still dirty cloth covered great sword._

"I'm not your big brother wherever he may be, however my fee as your savior won't be cheap." Faro said to this defenseless academy student as he focuses most of his attention on the threat directly ahead.

"I can't pay you." the academy student said clearly surprised by Fora's proclamation.

"But we can. Even if you've been trained to swing that sword around….. you are still just a man, so there's no way in hell you could defeat two elementalers by yourself." The first rogue pointed out.

"We barely had to touch the money we were given to take this girl, so if you leave right now and don't look back…. we'll give most of it to you. It's more than enough for someone wearing as horrible clothing as you to live the highlife for a while." The second rogue said as she held out a small brown pouch.

_Faro wasn't interested in their money so he paid these two no mind, but instead turned to focusing most of his attention on this defenseless girl. He may have been a mercenary, but even he had his code of honor._

"Are you alright? Can you move at all?" Faro asks in this academy student in a calm tone of voice.

"No…. one of these two hit me with a paralytic dart. I already removed it, but the toxins have already taken effect." The student answered.

"Understood and don't worry I'll help you for free, so let this simple mercenary act like the big brother you wanted to come and save you…. also I'm sorry for doing this." Faro said to this girl with a smile as he applied pressure to her carotid artery with three fingers.

"What are you… doing?" this academy student tried to say, but the sudden lack of blood flow to her brain rendered her unconscious.

"Faro is smiling?!" Cenere thought as though it's impossible to see an expression of absolute shock appears on her face.

"What the…. why did I smile just now? Except for contracts that actually require it…. I never smile." Fora thought as he too is surprised by the facial gesture he just made, though it too is unnoticeable due the fact he's able hide his shock.

_With nothing holding her body upright….. this girl with the frizzy green hair falls completely on top of the dirty forest floor. Now that this witness is out of the way… things can truly begin._

"Ah I take it you've decided to accept our offer." The first rogue said with much joy.

"Yes…. you knocking her out for us has saved us a lot of grief when it comes to transporting her." the second rogue followed ready to follow up on her end of this perceived bargain.

"Hahaha I don't recall ever agreeing to your offer. First of all I don't take jobs that involve protecting criminals, assassinations when it can be helped, and illegal goods. Secondly though that usually fails half the time….. I knocked this young girl out so she doesn't witness how I kill you two. Finally there are very few things capable of making me truly angry such as taking away someone's right to be what they wish, and that is why I'll kill you two." For a explained as a look of absolute rage appeared in his eyes.

"Well it looks like we got ourselves a hero to the end. You remember what we do to heroes ri… what the heck is wrong with you?" the first rogue was saying when she realized her literal partner in crime was too scared to move.

"Those eyes….. just like four years ago when Rubia Elstein decimated the Instructional School….. the look in them is just as intense. We were lucky to make it out alive back then. What chance do we have against someone that can give off the same look." The second rogue thought as the expression on Fora's face reminded her of her past.

"It seems that one is too scared to move." Cenere pointed out.

"Then it will make things easier for me." Fora retorts.

_With a great deal of force, Fora drives the great sword he used to defend this academy student from harm with his right hand; and then he stretches it forward as if to prepare himself for wielding an even greater power._

"Now let's get this over with Cenere." Fora mumbled as he started to focus his power into a single point in his body.

"If you really think you can beat me with just your hands….. then you're an even bigger idiot than I thought." The first rogue declared.

"Goddess of eternal lightning, thunder that shatters mountains, become thy piercing blade that brings forth victory!" Fora yelled.

_Now imagine yourself as the camera viewing this battle, but all of a sudden you're forced to zoom out by the powers controlling you… namely me. On the bottom half of the camera you can still see the forest along with the clearing you were forced to leave, on the top half you see storm clouds form at a concentrated point in the sky, and far to the left you can see the Areishia Spirit Academy. When enough storm clouds gather together a single lightning bolt bursts out from them. That lightning bolt then races towards the ground as fast as a babe promised free candy, and it races down with such force that it drags the dark clouds in which made it to the ground as well._

"Arghhhhhhhh!" these two puckish rogues yell as they experience a pain like that which they have never felt before.

* * *

><p><em>Perhaps that lightning bolt was conjured specifically to smite these two puckish rogues as if it were an act of god. Or maybe the appearance of this lightning bolt was sheer coincidence and in actuality it landed somewhere far off from this forest clearing while Faro dealt with these two criminal activists. Still….. no one could deny the likely fate of death that await them, but what of the young maiden in which Faro was the knight in shining armor for? That young academy student started to drift into a dream of her own. In that dreamland she was reliving a memory… a memory of a better time than now.<em>

"Hey nii-sama, guess what?" the younger version of this academy student said.

_The younger version of the academy student no more than 7 or 8 years old was wearing a pale lemon green dress that perfectly commented her fizzy green hair. She was being given a piggyback right by a boy of the same age as they journey across a grassy plain together, however save for the fact that his boy had fair skin everything about him… his hair and his face were conveniently not in view of the camera that represents your imagination._

"Alright….. what do I guess?" this nii-sama for the lack of a name to call him by asks in response.

"I love you nii-sama." The younger version of this academy student declared.

"You know you need to be more careful. I wouldn't be needing to carry you if you didn't sprain your ankle." This girl's older brother said ignoring his younger sister's blatant affections.

"Hey don't ignore me." the younger version of this student said as she pounded on the back of her older brother with her tiny fists.

"Ow…. Ow okay I get it I love you too little one." this nii-sama chuckled as he puts on a laugh for his sister's sake.

"Yup I love you, and when I get older I'm going to be your bride." The younger version of this student declared once more.

"Foolish girl, what do you know of romantic love?" this nii-sama asks as he looks over his shoulder and at his sister with a warm tender smile.

"I'm being serious here nii-sama." This young girl said as she starts to pound the back of her brother again.

"I know sister but you just need to focus on growing up as big, strong, and beautiful as your mother first. When you do….. if you still feel this way… come see me and we'll talk." This nii-sama said.

"Okay…. it's a promise nii-sama." This young girl happily declared.

* * *

><p><em>I wonder… was this dream of a promise she interpreted this young maiden's happiest memory? Or could have simply been one of her happier ones? Either way this fair maiden's dream like how all things in existence will eventually….. comes to an end.<em>

"I love you nii-sama…" this academy student quietly mumbled under her breath.

"I trust you're referring to your actual older brother and not me right?" Faro asks.

_As this young girl regained her own bearings she starts to realize that she's being carried through this forest in the same way her older brother carried her through those grassy plains. That is to say… she was being given back a piggyback ride._

"Ehh oh no….. I was just ummmm… mumbling in my sleep….. yes that's it." this academy student explained as she was severely embarrassed by her semi-conscious mumbling.

"What's your name?" Faro asks.

"My name?" this young girl asks in response as she was clearly caught off guard by this unexpected question.

"Yes your name. It'll be easier for me to charge Greyworth for my troubles if I know the name of one her precious students, and besides she still owes me a little for the last job she had me do." Faro explained.

"So you're a mercenary then?" this girls.

"Yes… so again could you please tell me your name?" Faro asks again, but this time in a somewhat gentler tone.

"It's umm…. Minna…. Minna Branwen." Minna nervously answered as she finally reveals her identity to her rescuer.

_Ignoring the fact that he had no idea where he was going in this forest, Faro continued to walk through it with young maiden in tow passing a sort of three-way intersection on this forest's beaten path in the process._

"If I'm recalling what I've been told about the forest's layout correctly….. we should be at the academy in an hour." Faro informed.

"Umm… actually going this way will just take you to one of the large lakes near the academy, but if you backtrack to that intersection and go down the other path….. we should end up at the academy's west entrance in half an hour." Minna explained.

"You're the tour guide here." Faro shrugs as he immediately turns back around.

"Say um…." Minna was saying as she struggles to try and say a name she doesn't know.

"Faro Leingeart." Faro suddenly interrupts.

"Wha…." Minna said as she was caught off guard by Faro's interjection.

"My name….. that is what you were trying to say wasn't it?" Faro asks.

"Faro Leingeart, do….. do you mind if I keep resting… my head on your back like this? It's warm… just like his." Minna embarrassingly asks.

"If it makes it easier for you then it makes it easier for me, so….. go right ahead." Faro answered as he was completely fine with Minna's request.

"Thank you…. nii-sama." Minna gratefully said as she nestles her head against Faro's back as if it were a pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>To Be Continued<strong>

Ellis: Headmaster, why must we have a pair of men at this school.

Greyworth: Because I say we need them. That should be enough of a reason.

Fora: Next time on Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance: Destiny's Blood Ties "Descending Sword!".

Ellis: Then for the other matter do you doubt the ability of the Sylphid Knights.

Greyworth: No I doubt their collective swordplay. That's the other reason I brought the second male here.


	2. Descending Sword!

**Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance: Destiny's Blood Ties**

**Chapter 2**

**Descending Sword!**

* * *

><p><em>To summarize recent events….. the young teenaged mercenary Faro Leingeart and his as of yet invisible friend Cenere were contacted by the famed Dusk Witch Greyworth Ciel Mais for a teaching position. This offer was made over a month ago, but Faro was unavailable at the time due to severe injuries sustained from a contract he had at the time. After recovering from these injuries, Faro and his invisible friend quickly made their way to Areishia Spirit Academy only to get horribly lost in the spirit forest surrounding the school. This was likely due to the spirits inhabiting it deciding to play a prank, but it was a good thing they did otherwise Faro wouldn't have had a chance to play the role of a knight in shining armor. He had saved the young noblewoman Minna Branwen from a couple of elementaler bandits who wished to sell Minna….. into a certain business for the lack of a better word. Hopefully by relying on Minna's vastly superior knowledge of the forest she and Faro will be able to get to the academy fairly easily.<em>

"How much longer?" Faro asks Minna of whom he's still giving a piggyback ride to.

"Once you get past this next clearing nii-sama the academy's west entrance will be in sight, but be careful…. men are….. rarely allowed on academy grounds, so umm…. some of the others may get the wrong idea." Minna answered as she's still using Faro's back as a pillow.

"Very well…. and please stop calling me nii-sama….. it's a little off-putting. I don't even know you Miss Branwen." Faro retorts trying to be as respectful as possible to this noblewoman despite the annoyance he was caused.

"I'm sorry….. it's just… even though your personalities are different…. somehow you're still very similar…. his name by coincidence was Faro as well." Mina said apologetically as her face was turned a light red.

_Thankfully Faro wasn't looking otherwise Minna's face here might have turned as red as a dark cherry, but that's neither here nor there at the moment. It doesn't take very long for Minna, Faro, and Cenere who Faro ordered to remain silent to get past the next clearing. This young shy dainty maiden wasn't lying about how the academy's west entrance was directly in sight, however it would still take the 3 of them a good few minutes to reach it._

"Umm… you mentioned you were a mercenary….. and that um you've had dealings with the director before…. What was that about?" Minna curiously asks.

"I don't talk about the business of my clients, but Greyworth although we've never met has asked me through an intermediary to do a few tasks for her." Faro quickly explains.

"What kind of tasks?" Minna curiously asks.

"I don't wish to offend your noble sensibilities, however to summarize… they're the kind that affect the security of your academy in which she can't ask the Sylphid Knights to deal with without raising serious concerns." Faro said in the vaguest manner possible.

"Oh umm….. then I won't ask any further if it's really like that." Minna said.

_Once these three musketeers reached the halfway point to the Academy's west gate….. they saw several students presumably running all over the campus. It's possible they're running around due to some other incident causing chaos among the academy's ranks, but Faro had a hunch he was the cause and that this was likely an isolated incident. Who could really blame them? I mean wouldn't you a student at an all white school (In terms of uniform design and not ethnicity) find it suspicious when you see a mysterious dressed in an all black cloak with their face hidden carrying not only a big sword but one of your fellow students on their back?_

"Will it be a hot or cold reception this time I wonder?" Faro mumbled.

"What do you mean 'this time' Faro?" Minna curiously asks.

"About 2 years ago a wealthy merchant from the Alphas Theocracy secretly hired me to rescue his son from a small band of kidnappers. Needless to say those kidnappers no longer have to worry about future business, but when I went to his home to return his son…. let's just say due to thinking I was one of the kidnappers… his guards put too much zeal in their duties." Faro explained as he practices the procedure of client confidentiality.

"Their reactions couldn't be helped if they didn't know their boss hired you." Minna pointed out to her rescuer.

"And there's nothing I can do about the reaction of these ladies once they take note of my gender and dirtied appearance." Faro retorts indicating his harsh understanding of this world's realities.

_As the three musketeers passed through entrance, Faro realized as expected that he was the cause of the ruckus that occurred around it. A point only further proven by the tiny crowd of onlookers watching from a safe distance….. as well two members of the Sylphid Knights having their standard issue swords point at him._

"And let the show begin Faro." Cenere thought.

"Halt! By the authority of the Sylphid Knights, state your business!" a bluenette member ordered with an authoritative tone of voice.

"And take off the hood so we can see your face!" another member of the Sylphid Knights ordered.

_Given the role Faro would soon have to play, he complied with the fancifully titled public morals committee and bobbed his head backwards using the momentum to force his hood off. Naturally the revelation of Faro's gender in a school in which those of his gender are rarely seen brought much shock to the female student body that happened to be here._

"No way… what's a man doing here?" one of the surprised students yelled.

"Sigh….. as expected." Faro mumbled.

"I can't believe a… Minna… put her down at once!" the bluenette ordered.

"Do what she says lest you wish to have a sword put through you." the knight that happened to be with the bluenette said shortly thereafter.

"I'm afraid that I must decline." Fora said as he rebuked the bluenette's request respectfully as possible.

"Pervert, you dare defile a shrine maiden in public you lewd beast!" the bluenette yelled with anger as her faced turned a little red.

"How does anything I…. wait…. what?" Faro said out of surprise as registers the fact that he was just called a pervert.

"Ha ha…. it's been at least a year since you were last called a pervert." Cenere whispered into Faro's ear.

"Shut up….. not my fault someone tried to whack the person I was charged to protect while she was in a public bathhouse." Faro whispers back barely moving his lip in the process as he tries t avoid looking like that he's talking to himself.

Wait… Ellis you're blowing things out of proportion." Minna said as she tries to interject this argument on behalf of her rescuer.

_For those of you who aren't familiar with the first canon character to make an appearance Ellis Fahrengart has waist length shiny blue hair tied in a ponytail, auburn colored eyes, and she wears over the academy's uniform a blue light breastplate with a yellow trim._

"Is that so? And he's not forcing you to say that?" Ellis asks.

"No, what I say is the truth and of my own free will." Minna answered.

"Then I shall trust the knight under my command and allow you to tell me your side of the story stranger, but if I don't like what you hear I'll use force to separate you from Minna." Ellis said as she puts away her sword after taking a moment to calm herself down.

"First of my name is Faro Leingeart. I've been contracted by the director of the academy to teach supplementary lessons on swordplay. After camping in the spirit forest last night I started to make my way towards the school, but I got lost likely due the spirits in it messing with my sense of direction." Faro explained.

"That part is plausible enough for all newcomers to the school, but how does that have you end up carrying Minna Branwen on your back?" Ellis demands to know.

"While I'm no elementaler, I'm certainly capable of recognizing the obvious signs of when one is a fight. That is what happened with Minna here as I attempted to get back on the main path, but I put that aside for a moment with the intent to offer some assistance. By the time I got there Minna had forced her two attackers to retreat. It was then she explained that one of her attackers hit her with a paralytic dart rendering her barely able to move her own arms let alone walk, so in exchange for guiding me out of the forest I offered to carry her to safety." Faro explained though he lies about who actually dealt with Minna's attackers.

"I know I was unconscious for it, but he had to have been the one who dealt with those two so why lie about it?" Minna thought.

"Is this true Minna?" Ellis asked.

"Yes every word of it. I worry about what would have happened to me if Faro didn't find me." Minna answered as he decides to go along with Faro's lie.

"In that case my name is Ellis Fahrengart, and as the leader of the Sylphid Knights I must apologize for treating you who helped one of our own so rudely." Ellis said as she offers Faro as a respectful and apologetic bow.

"There's no need to lower your head for my sake, but if it's alright may I please get on my way?" Faro inquired.

"While I'm grateful for what you've done I'm afraid I can't allow that. Save for the occasional guest lecturer and visiting government officials, men aren't allowed on academy grounds without permission." Ellis quickly answered.

"So you're not going to let me pass even though I have business with the director?" Faro asks.

"I was aware of the fact that the director hired someone, but she didn't tell me it was a man and I will speak to her about this later. Given how you're dressed I must ask for proof that you are who you say you are." Ellis explained.

"Ah…. In that case one moment." Faro said as he starts fumbling around in the inner-cloak pocket on his left side.

_After rummaging around or perhaps moving stuff out of the way in his pocket, Faro pulls out a small envelope with a crimson red wax seal of the Ordessia Empire on it and passes it to Ellis._

"The color is consistent, there are no errors with the seal design, and I can sense traces of divine power in it. This is definitely an authentic high level seal of the empire." Ellis said after taking a few moments to examine the envelope.

"Then can I please be on my way?" Faro respectfully asks.

"I'll show you the way to the director's office. You there, take Minna to the infirmary." Ellis said as she gave the Sylphid Knight who happened to be with her an order.

"If it's alright Miss Fahrengart, I'd like to escort my charge here to the infirmary before going to the director's office. Though I don't know what a knight would think of a mercenary only interested in doing a job for payment…. I do have my honor. For as long as the one who hires me is honest about the details of their contract I shall see it through to the end. My agreement with Minna here applies." Faro explained as he places his left arm over his chest and hand over his right shoulder.

"Then I'll show you the way to the infirmary first. You can just resume your normal patrol route." Ellis said to Faro before turning to the knight that was with her.

* * *

><p><em>As Ellis guided the three temporary musketeers through the courtyard and school buildings, Faro couldn't help but listen to all of the whispers going on about him as well as Minna. Some were complimentary, some were insulting, and others of a more neutral nature though the shy damsel in distress found them all equally embarrassing as she buried her head in Faro's back in order to hide the cherry red signs of embarrassment showing on her face.<em>

"Wow who is that boy?" a random student said as she asked one of her friends a question.

"I don't know, but that lone wolf thing he has going on… it's actually a little cute." the friend of that random student answered.

"I know right… oh I'm so jealous of whoever that is he's carrying on his back." a second friend of this random student said.

"You hear that Faro… not even on the job yet and you already have a few fans." Cenere whispered.

"Shut up Cenere." Faro whispers back.

"Did you say something?" Ellis asks.

"No." Faro quickly answered.

_For an all school's girl when they suddenly see a boy their own age they either have a semi-androphobic reaction similar to Ellis or… for the lack of the knowledge of the actual psychological term….. a little boy crazy. They find the typical high school cliché of a busty sexy nurse managing the infirmary. After placing Minna on one of the infirmary beds, Faro decides to retell his story to the nurse._

"… and that's pretty much it." Faro said as he concludes the recounting of his tale.

"You're lucky I happen to have an all purpose anti-paralytic." The nurse said to Ellis and Faro.

_The nurse quickly pulls a small vial out of one of the medicine cabinets, and carefully supports Minna's head as she pours some of its contents down her throat._

"You'll be able to move normally again in a couple of hours, but I recommend you go straight back to your room for rest once you do." the nurse ordered.

"Nurse, we need you right away!" a member of the Sylphid Knights with maroon brown yelled.

"Rakka, what happened?" Ellis asks with a concerned expression.

"A teacher's demonstration on ranged spirit magic went wrong and now her arm's badly burned." Rakka explained.

"Rakka, you've had first aid training correct?" the nurse asks.

"Yes, but why do you ask? Rakka answered.

"I'd like you to man the infirmary until I get back. If anyone comes by with minor issues just use the first aid kit, but get me immediately if someone with a serious injury comes by. I'll write a pass for you when I get back." The nurse said as she hurried out of the infirmary carrying a small trauma kit.

"Then shall we get going Ms. Fahrengart?" Faro asks as he points his hand towards the door.

"Wait… don't go yet!" Minna struggled to say.

_Faro and Ellis were almost out the door when the two of them along with Rekka were forced to turn their heads towards the infirmary bed Minna was supposed to be resting upon. There they find Minna sweating a little due to the fact she forced herself upright on the bed despite her temporary loss of muscle control._

"You should be resting." Faro said as he gently forces Minna to lie back down on the infirmary bed.

"I know….. and I also know the director will probably have someone give you a basic tour of the academy, but…. as a way of thanks…. for you know helping me earlier…. I'd like to give you a more detailed tour of the school as well as the nearby town. That is if you… aren't busy tomorrow." Minna shyly explained as she effectively asks Faro out on a date.

"Awww how cute Faro…. I think she likes you…. go on say yes and make the damsel in distress happy." Cenere whispered into Faro's ears.

"I could certainly use the knowledge of the surrounding area, but honestly it'll depend on the schedule Director Greyworth gives me." Faro politely explained to Minna as he's at least interested in her offer.

_Soon enough Faro and Ellis were finally able to excuse themselves from the infirmary, and leaving Minna in Rakka's capable hands as they at last make their way to the director's office. Much like during the trip to the infirmary Faro hears background conversations about him, but this time around they're nowhere near as kind. At any rate the trip to the director's office itself doesn't take very long._

"I don't know how you are when you're negotiating your mercenary contracts, but I expect you treat the director with the utmost respect." Ellis said to Faro in a manner indicates she'd likely run her sworn through him if he did not.

"With certainty….. I'll show someone the courtesy befitting their rank." Faro says to Ellis strictly just to reassure her.

"But Faro here will only show respect to someone who's earned it whether they be criminal or king." Cenere mumbled not realizing that she said her thoughts aloud.

"I'm sorry, but did you just refer to yourself in the 3rd person?" Ellis asks thing Cenere's mumbling came from him.

"I didn't say anything. It must have just been your imagination." Faro said as he purposely puts on a look of ignorance due to Cenere's momentary stupidity.

"Oh sorry Faro…. I'll try to be more careful from now on." Cenere whispers.

"Director, are you in?" Ellis asks as she knocks on the door to director Greyworth's office.

"Yes Ellis, go ahead and come in if you wish." The director answered.

_There sitting at the desk of the spacious yet expensively decorated office is a woman that appears to be young, with ash-blonde hair, grey eyes, she wears a monocle over her right eye, in addition to a black dress underneath a dark red coat, and most importantly the devious smile she gives indicates that she likely knows more about what goes on behind the world's closed doors than she's willing to admit._

"Director Greyworth, this mercenary Faro Leingeart arrived today claiming that you contracted him to teach supplementary lessons on swordplay. In addition he had a letter marked with a high level seal, so I brought him here to see you." Ellis explained as he offers Director Greyworth a respectful.

"Yes that's correct I summoned him here. Welcome to Areishia Spirit Academy Faro Leingeart." Greyworth said as she looked up from official documents and interlocked her fingers together.

_Perhaps it was because Ellis and her fellow students were simply used to her presence, but Greyworth's presence is none the less so strong that Faro is rendered wide awake forced to hang on her every word._

"So this is what the famous Dusk Witch is like in person? She's really scary." Cenere whispers into Faro's ears.

"I know Cenere. I have no doubt that if I were an assassin sent to kill the Dusk Witch given an opportunity such as this…. well it wouldn't manner she's be able to easily brush me aside." Faro thought.

"Before you ask, I've had your fee for the last job I had you do placed in your room. I've also tossed in a little extra as thanks for saving one of my precious students earlier as well and as apologies for not seeing that complication coming." Greyworth interjects apparently already aware of the fact that Faro helped Minna.

"It's an honor to finally meet the famed Dusk Witch in person, and I see your reputation precedes you if you're already aware of my earlier escapades. If it's not too much trouble I'd like to discuss the details of the contract you had me come here for." Faro said wishing to get this meeting over with as soon as possible due to feeling very uncomfortable being in the same room as the Dusk Witch.

"Ah so you wish to get right down to business and skip the wine and dine phase do you? A shame….. I was going to offer you a fine glass of scotch as a sort of welcome present." Greyworth asks in such a deviously sarcastic manner that it's hard to tell which one it is more.

"Though some of the things I've seen and done during my time as a mercenary have certainly given me the desire to do so, but you know as well as I do that I'm not old enough for such an activity. At any rate you mentioned in your letter that you want me to teach and I quote 'To teach a bunch of knights that consistently swing a sword the wrong way the proper method to do so.' Exactly what was that about?" Faro curiously asks as he quotes part of the letter's contents.

"Knights? Director Greyworth, could you possibly be talking about the Sylp…" Ellis started to say, but little did she know the director would cut her off with a statement of her own.

"To rectify both your confusion and to confirm your suspicion Ellis… yes I indeed contracted Faro to teach the Sylphid Knights supplementary lessons on swordplay. Speaking of which, Ellis I'd like you to have all of the Sylphid Knights not out on assignment as well as the students on this list outside your meeting hall afterschool today, and Faro here's a roster of the class you'd teach separated into two groups." Director Greyworth calmly if not deviously explains as he pushes a fold of piece of paper to Ellis and Faro.

"But director, though our numbers have dropped since I took over my sister as leader of the Sylphid Knights… haven't we proven ourselves capable of upholding the sanctity and peace of the academy?" Ellis asks as she feels insulted by the fact that Greyworth is questioning the ability of the Sylphid Knights.

"Though I prefer your management style over your older sister's, you yourself can't deny that they've weakened since members either quit or have slacked in their training as you taking the reins." Greyworth pointed out.

"No I can't deny that, and I also know the reason is because members would rely on their elemental waffe instead of a sword in a fight. Most of the few members we have competent with the sword are only so because their elemental waffe happens to be some form of one." Ellis said as she acknowledges the weaknesses in her own organization.

"That is exactly the issue here. Long before your sister's time the Sylphid Knights led by someone much like yourself with the same numbers you have now brought forth their golden age. During that time the Sylphid Knights could handle many an incident using a sword despite their elemental waffe being nothing of the sort. Rouge spirits or criminals….. the golden generation could do it all. This is why I contracted Faro Leingeart to teach these supplementary lessons to them as well as a few students outside of the organization. He's well versed in styles of swordplay that are both easy to teach and master." Greyworth said as she explained the benefits of having Faro here.

"But headmaster, I simply can't agree to this. Why must we have a pair of men, here at a place of study for holy shrine princesses?" Ellis loudly proclaimed.

"A pair of men? Did Greyworth hire another male for a teaching position?" Faro thought as he was surprised by Ellis's statement, but was able to prevent his reaction from showing up on his face.

"Because I say we need them. My word should be reason enough." Greyworth retorts.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but 'a pair of men'… what exactly do you mean director?" Faro asks as he interrupts Ellis's argument with Greyworth.

"Just as I've contracted you to teach a few classes, I've asked a young boy I know to transfer into this school as a student." Greyworth calmly answered.

"A transfer student…. Wait does that mean he's…." Faro starts to say as he suspects this male student of being an existence much like his own.

"Yes he's a male elementaler as you suspect. It's a shame you aren't one as well especially given who you have hang around you, and it would make your job as a teacher easier. After all you know the saying 'Two heads are better than one.'" Greyworth said as she confirms Faro's suspicions.

"Is he from one of the other surviving clans? Or does he represent someone else entirely?" Faro thought as he quickly went into deep contemplation about this male elementaler.

_Faro continued with his state of contemplation… or at least he was going to try and maintain a state of contemplation, but he would be forcibly brought out of it due to Ellis being about to make a loud statement and a bold move._

"Who's there?!" Ellis yelled as she ran towards the door to the director's office due to sensing a presence on the other side of it.

_And within seconds after sensing that presence, Ellis kicked the door to the director's office with all her might and by some miracle the young boy behind it narrowly avoided having multiple splinters in his face._

"I'm guessing that's the person Greyworth was talking about. Say doesn't he look familiar?" Cenere whispers into Faro's ear.

"Not to me. You should know that I of all people would remember seeing a male elementaler during any of my previous contracts." Faro whispers back.

_The young boy himself has black hair with multiple bangs hanging off the front of his face that somehow don't block his vision, dark colored eyes, a black glove covering one hand, a bag hanging over his shoulder in the other, a sleeveless black t-shirt over his upper body, a pair of dark grey pants covers his lower half, and given the look of surprise on his face he clearly wasn't expecting a bout of foot to face… that or perhaps he got a panty shot of the girl trying to kick him._

"Insolent fool!" Ellis yelled just before kicking this young boy right in the stomach.

_The shock, pain, and momentum generated by Ellis's kick knocks this young teen to the ground causing him to grunt out of mild discomfort. She then jumps on top of the young teen placing her left hand on his shoulder to hold him down, and with the other hand Ellis holds her sword to the young lad's neck._

"A man….. You're a man?!" Ellis yelled as her face turned to a flush color as she apparently just realized that it wasn't a girl she was about to run her sword through.

"Wait she seriously couldn't tell?" Faro thought as he was both surprised and amused by Ellis's confusion at the anatomy of the opposite gender.

"How unbecoming. Just stay right there, so I can turn you into marinated salmon!" Ellis yelled as she's about to enact a bit of pervert revenge mode on the poor fool by actually running her sword through him.

"Wait! You're the one who pushed me down!" the young teen yelled as he made a plea for his desire to avoid bodily harm.

"Enough!" Ellis yelled as she pulls back her sword.

_And soon enough as expected she makes a serious attempt to kill this young boy by trying to stab him through and through with her blade._

"And I'm not even a salmon!" the young boy yelled as he appeared on the surface to narrowly dodge Ellis's attack.

"Wow that boy was lucky he didn't become a skewer to put over the fire." Cenere whispers.

"No….. that wasn't luck. This guy has excellent reflexes, and….. there's just something about the way he dodged that seems familiar." Faro quietly retorts.

"Put your sword away, Ellis Fahrengart." Greyworth ordered as she calmly walks to the entryway of her office.

"Headmaster…." Ellis said in a combination of a whiny expression and a surprised one as if she really thought the director would let her kill this boy.

_Ellis wanted to continue, but Greyworth was the kind of person with the strength necessary to give off the expression that says "If you wish to oppose me than you had better be prepared to deal with the consequences."_

"It's been three years, Kazehaya Kamito." Greyworth said in a manner that gives away her familiarity with him to Ellis, Faro, and Cenere.

"There you are you witch." Kamito said signaling the start of a serious yet casual conversation with the director as he got back up on his feet.

"I should be turning you into stew right now." Ellis declared as she finally turns her face back towards Kamito.

"Wait wasn't it supposed to be marinated salmon?" Faro couldn't help but blurt outloud.

"Hey I was going to say that." Kamito said as jokingly gives out an annoyed expression.

"You dare…." Ellis said as she places her hand on her sword ready to try and go for round two with this Kamito.

"Stand down, Ellis." Greyworth ordered.

"I can't leave two unknown men with you like this." Ellis said less out of her duties as the leader of the Sylphid Knights and more out of her annoyance with Kamito.

"Ellis Fahrengart, are you really going to make me say the same thing twice?" Greyworth asks with an expression that's basically trying to tell Ellis not to push her luck.

"I…. I'm sorry." Ellis apologizes as starts to acknowledge the error of her ways.

"Good, but since you're so clearly worried about potential eavesdroppers just wait outside my office until I call for you." Greyworth ordered.

"As you wish headmaster." Ellis said as she decides comply with her orders in order to avoid risking punishment by the director's hands.

* * *

><p><em>After taking as second to dust himself off, Kamito as well as Faro follows the director back inside the office before closing the door behind them. Greyworth retakes her seat, and the two young boys with her walk up to her desk.<em>

"So can someone please explain to me what that was about?" Kamito asks still a little shaken up by the multiple attempts to have a sword hang out of his body.

"She's the leader of the Sylphid Knights, and organization tasked with keeping order in the school." Greyworth explained.

"And who's this guy?" Kamito curiously asks as he points his thumb at Faro.

"Faro Leingeart, and I'm a mercenary instructor contracted by Greyworth to teach supplementary lessons on swordsmanship to students she deems necessary." Faro said as he quickly explains the reason he's here.

"Well that explains why she was dressed like that and why you're carrying a sword on your back." Kamito said as he's content to get down to business.

"Faro, just in case you haven't already realized it I'm enacting the confidentiality clause in the contract we agreed to." Greyworth said as she turned towards Faro.

"Hmmm, confidentiality clause?" Kamito said with a confused look on her face.

"If a situation occurs where the client or a person approved by the client must have me close at hands while discussing certain private matters… let's just say for a small additional fee I keep whatever I hear to myself until the day I die or until the client who hired me says otherwise." Faro explained.

"That refers to you as well." Greyworth informed.

"What would I have to do with the confidentiality clause on a mercenary's contract?" Kamito asks with an understandably confused expression on his face.

"I wasn't talking about you Kamito. I was referring to the spirit standing next to Faro thinking that I wouldn't notice she was there." Greyworth said as she points to a seemingly empty spot in the room.

"But there's…." Kamito was about to say.

"As expected of the famed Dusk Witch." Cenere said loud enough for her presence to be acknowledged by Kamito.

"Put this on." Faro said as he takes off his cloak and holds it out to his left side revealing that by coincidence he's wearing an outfit very similar to what Kamito has on.

"I know I know, but really it's not necessary for a spirit such as myself to be wearing human clothing." Cenere declared as she put on Faro's cloak.

"Must I recount the 4 different occasions I've been arrested for public indecency because of you? At any rate you can deactivate the spell... unless you want people to think you're a ghost." Faro said referring to the fact that his cloak looks like it's floating in mid air.

"Oh right…. one moment." Cenere said.

_A ring of light appears just above Cenere's still invisible head and descends and dissipates into nothingness as it reveals the woman underneath. Cenere has dark blue tomboyish styled hair, 2 pear colored eyes, two medium sized yellow horns sticking out of the sides of her forehead, white scales covering parts of cheeks along with her entire human shaped hand, these white scales contradict her dark colored skin so that it's unknown how far it extends due to Faro's cloak covering most of her body, her feet are protruding like that of a dragon's yet still dainty like that of a fair maiden, and most importantly….. let's just say that she's well endowed in all of the right areas._

"A humanoid dragon spirit….. impossible….. unless that means you're a male elementaler too." Kamito said out of shock.

"Don't get the wrong idea. This is Cenere a light dragon spirit and the guardian spirit of my family for over a millennium. Though a true contract is impossible between the two of us simply because of the difference in gender, Cenere still watches over me out of duty to our family. I'd appreciate if you kept the fact I have her with me a secret. Though Cenere's more than capable of refusing the elementalers at this school….. I'd rather not have to deal with the constant annoyance of someone trying to form a contract with her." Faro explains to Kamito.

"I could easily go back to Astral Zero the realm of the spirits at any time, but it's so incredibly boring there." Cenere explained.

"Don't worry I'm not the type to broadcast someone else's secrets." Kamito said as he knew that even though Faro hid his feelings rather well… it's clear that he cares a great deal for Cenere.

"Thank you." Faro said clearly appreciating Kamito's response though it was hard for him to tell that fact.

"Wait…. why is she wearing your cloak?" Kamito asks.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to convince a humanoid dragon spirit to wear clothes?" Faro retorts as he answers Kamito's question with a rhetorical one.

"I know I'm a bit of ancient woman by human standards, but when you become as old as I am turning yourself invisible is as easy as a piece of pie." Cenere explained.

"How exactly old are you?" Kamito couldn't help but ask.

"Now now I may be a spirit, but I'm still a woman and it's still rude to ask how old one is." Cenere said as she wagged her scaly finger at Kamito.

"Oh sorry." Kamito said in an apologetic manner.

"According to the stories I heard as a child….. Cenere is at least north of 2 thousand years old." Faro pointed out.

"Faro, didn't I just say it's rude to ask about a lady's age?" Cenre asks as she puffs up her cheeks out of annoyance.

"I didn't ask. I was told." Faro retors.

"Ahem…. now then getting back to business….. is that a spirit seal?" Greyworth asks referring to the glowing seal on the back of Kamito's right hand.

"So it is as I suspected." Faro thought as he confirms what suspicions he had about Kamito right after his eyes flared up for a moment out of surprise.

"I know it must be surprising to see a male elementaler. But y-yeah…. it kind of just happened." Kamito said in order to mitigate Faro's surprise and answer Greyworth's question.

"So, you were finally able to say goodbye at last to that ghost of yours?" Greworth asked in a way that seems oddly rude.

"She's not a ghost. She's… Anyways, this thing you sent me. You're serious, right?" Kamito asks as he just barley holds in the anger the director's statement causes him.

"Yes. Your contracted spirit is alive." Greyworth answered.

"Contracted spirit? But from the way they're talking she's clearly not referring to the one tied to that seal… unless…. a dual contractor?" Faro thought as he continues to remain silent.

"Where is Restia?" Kamito asks as a truly serious look appears in his eyes.

_Kamito had his attention focused on Greyworth and if Greyworth noticed she made no inclination of the fact, but…. when Faro heard the name Restia come up a feeling of shock washed over him. That feeling of shock was so strong that it actually makes him drop his normally calm demeanor if only for a moment._

"That's the same name as the spirit in my dream….. Could it be he has a contract with a spirit of the same name? No…. Faro you know that's impossible. In the history of the world there' never been two spirits with the same name." Faro thought as he forces his face to return to the calm demeanor he had on.

Do you think I the Dusk Witch, would give you valuable information out of pure altruism?" Greyworth retorts.

"Oh I know you're evil, but just what the hell are you up to here?" Kamito said as he slammed both of his hand on Greyworth's desk.

"It's just as the contents of the letter said. I'm having you transfer into our school, Kazehaya Kamito." Greyworth calmly answered.

"Fine then I'll play your game for now." Kamito declared.

"As for you Faro Leingeart, normally only students in the Sylphid Knights are allowed to carry physical weapons on them at all times but I've made an exception for you with your sword." Greyworth informed.

"Thank you, but I wouldn't have let them take it from me even if they tried." Faro retorts.

"Also, the money I gave as you as payment while still a significant sum won't allow you to live for very long as a teacher at a school such as this. This is why I've pulled a few strings and had all your money transferred into the bank in the nearby academy town. When I saw the finally tally I was quite impressed….. there's more than enough for you to live the life of a country gentleman for the next 2 to 4 years." Greyworth informed again.

"Wait… I don't have an account at any Ordesia bank, so how did you transfer it into a bank near here?" Faro demands to know.

"Isn't it obvious? I merely had someone collect it from your hiding spot and bring it to the bank in town." Greyworth answered.

"There you see a simple solu…" Kamito started to say.

_But Kamito stopped speaking when Faro ran past him in a fit of rage an emotion he knew all too well. At any rate Faro jumped on top of the director's desk and brought about his huge great sword less than a centimeter from Greyworth's neck though it was still wrapped in that same dirtied white cloth from earlier._

"Calm down, just what do you think you're doing?" Kamito asks clearly not seeing Faro's behavior coming.

"You dare desecrate my clan's final resting place for money! The place where nearly all of us were slaughtered!" Faro yelled as flames of pure uninhibited rage appear in his eyes.

"You're one to talk. I do believe you found that sword by rummaging through the remains of your clan's belongings." Greyworth said not bothered in the slightest by the sword only inches away from her neck.

"That's different. As the last survivor of my clan, the duty of burying our dead as well as the duty of protecting our relics fell to me. My cloak as well as my sword are two such relics. I should punish you for desecrating my family's final resting place!" Faro declared.

"If you truly believe you have the power to punish me for my sins then you're welcome to try, but you won't get a chance to recover what remains of the things you lost. Nor will you be able to accomplish the dream you had 3 years ago." Greyworth pointed out.

_Much like how Ellis was about to kill Kamito earlier via pervert revenge mode, Faro seriously considers making an attempt on the Dusk Witch's life out of rage but ultimately relents and puts away his sword as he remembers the lessons of his supposed clan._

"I thought so. Ellis will show you the way to the academy tailor where I've had a couple of uniforms prepared to your exact measurements and preferred movements." Greyworth informed.

"Cenere time to go." Faro informed.

"I know I know." Cenere said as she passed Faro his cloak just as she turned completely invisible once more.

"I take it you have your secrets to keep?" Kamito asks.

"I do, and I take it so do you?" Faro retorts.

"Yeah… ha it looks we'll get along perfectly." Kamito said as he laughs a little in order to relieve at least some of the extreme tension that built up over the past few seconds.

"One last thing before you go Faro Leingeart. Counting you, there are three survivors of your clan." Greyworth informed as the devious yet still youthful looking woman simply wished to get the last word in before he and Kamito left her office.

"No….. don't show any reaction Faro. That's exactly what she wants you to do." Faro thought as he barley manages to surpass the shock he's feeling as a result of this news.

"Do you think she knows?" Cenere whispered.

"If she doesn't she strongly suspects it." Faro whispers back.

"If I know that old hag as well as I think I do… then she definitely knows whatever secret you're talking about." Kamito thought.

* * *

><p><em>The trip to the school's tailor, of which is a necessary expense given the both the fact that Areishia Spirit Academy is a school where normally only the daughters of nobles and the rich can attend and that these magically enchanted uniforms act as armor to protect their wearers. Wear and tear as a result of training as well as duels between students make having a means to easily replace them a top priority. In any case after changing into their new outfits, Ellis spends the next few minutes showing these teens around the school.<em>

"She already had a special uniform for me to wear… Damn it, just how far is she going to go?" Kamito thought as he tries to get used to moving around in this new outfit.

_Much like the three piece uniform female students wear with their uniforms being laced with black lines surrounding pure white areas, Kamito was wearing a white formal, a black tie, and white pants that heavily followed this design theme._

"I still don't see why I have to wear this just to teach a class." Faro mumbled as though the uniform he had on fit him perfectly….. the fact that he had to wear one was something he was far less used to than Kamito.

_In Faro's case his uniform like Kamito's consisted of a pair of pants, a tie, and a formal looking shirt but with a single important difference. The color scheme of his uniform was reversed. Simply put….. the parts that were white on Kamito's uniform were black on Faro's, and the same can be said for the parts that were black and white on each other's uniforms respectively. After having it cleaned, Faro was allowed to wear his black cloak over his new uniform and by a pure fluke they perfectly aesthetically complimented each other._

"Weren't you listening to what the tailor said? Remember she said that in Kamito's case though he may be a boy, as a student here at Areishia Spirit Academy he must still wear the white uniform that represents purity for all of us shrine princesses though I doubt he has a single pure fiber in his body." Ellis declared still miffed about the incident that occurred not too long ago.

"I'm not a pervert, and you only have yourself to blame since you jumped on top of me after you kicked me to the ground." Kamito said as he attempts to defend himself from the implications of Ellis's statement.

"Don't interrupt me. As for what the tailor said about you Faro…. remember she said that it would look bad to the many nobles and government officials that fund the academy if they found out one of our instructors…. mercenary or no dressed so horribly. Remember you must also be easily distinguishable as a respectable member of the school's teaching staff, so if you were to wear a white uniform like Kazehaya Kamito the other students might mistake you for a male elementaler." Ellis explained.

"I guess that makes sense." Faro mumbled as he decided to drop the issue for now.

"Awww if only you didn't insist that I have to hide myself. I'd love to wear one of those cute uniforms like all of the other girls." Cenere whispers into Faro's ear.

"Good….. now getting back to the tour… The teacher wing and the student wing are connected by a skyway on the second floor, and the cafeteria is on the first floor. Kazehaya Kamito, are you even paying attention to what I'm saying?" Ellis asked as she takes notice of the fact that Kamito seems completely uninterested in what's going on around him.

"Oh sorry about that, I was just thinking that…" Kamito started to say.

"You're thinking of something while looking at me from behind like that?! Faro I understand it being necessary for a teacher to know their way around the school, but I'm only showing you around because the headmaster made me!" Ellis yelled taking a defensive combat stance as she assumes the worst….. and by worst I mean dirtiest about Kamito.

"You don't have to hate me so much. We're both students here now." Kamito pointed out as he tries to diffuse the situation he unintentionally caused.

"Shut up….. I won't have it. I may be willing to tolerate a male teacher since Greyworth wouldn't have hired him if he couldn't keep his fantasies in check, but there's no way I'm going to accept a male spirit elementaler." Ellis declared as she walked several feet in front of Kamito and Faro out of a fit of anger.

"Wait….. hey that means you think all I have are perverted thoughts." Faro pointed out as he takes offense to the hidden meaning behind Ellis's statement.

"Oh well, I guess it's to be expected since I'm one of the lone males trapped in a sea of women." Kamito thought as he places his hand on his head.

_Ellis continued to show Kamito and Faro around the basic facilities of the school for the next hour or so including where they'd be staying. Needless to say Kamito was annoyed when he found out he was staying in a hastily build cabin next to the academy's stable, but he understood that as a male elementaler at what was normally an all girl's school he shouldn't expect the same treatment. In Faro's case, teachers who live on campus are expected to stay in the appropriate dormitory but he didn't care for all of this fancy treatment so he requested in his contracted that he be allowed to reside in one of the spare rooms in the groundskeeper dormitory. In terms of size the room was no bigger nor did more fancifully decorate then the average college dormitory on moving in day. There were two beds for him and Cenere to sleep on, a closet to store their possessions, a small stove, and a small table of which were all the things he really needed for this job. Anyways at the end of their tour, Ellis guided Kamito and Faro to just outside one of the school's classrooms._

"Your class is on the other side of this door Kazehaya Kamito. It's the Raven Class where almost all of the capable problem children attend. I think it'll be perfect for someone like you." Ellis explained as she stopped in front of a seemingly random door.

"Highly capable problem children, huh?" Kamito lightly chucked apparently finding Ellis's statement somewhat amusing.

"Is that a problem?" Ellis asked as she found Kamito's reaction highly unusual.

"There's nothing wrong….. it's just that I have a feeling that I might know someone there." Kamito explained.

"If the two of you have any other questions make it quick. As the leader of the Sylphid Knights I'm normally very busy." Ellis said.

"No we're good, but thanks for showing us the way." Kamito appreciatively said as he responded to Ellis's statement on behalf of himself as well as Faro.

"Hmph, you don't have to thank me. If I didn't, you'd probably march right into the girl's bathroom Kazehaya Kamito." Ellis retorts.

_Since neither Faro nor Kamito had anything else to say, Ellis left the two of them in front of this classroom door as she went off to do any other duties she had that may have required her attention._

"What are you going to do?" Kamito asks.

"The class I have to teach doesn't start until after normal school hours, so I think I'll just go back to my room and sleep." Faro answered.

"Maybe I'll arghh….ouch." Kamito mumbled as all of a sudden some unforeseen force pulled him to the ground.

_That unforeseen force was for some strange reason a dark leather colored whip that found itself tightly wrapped around Kamito's legs. As Faro and Kamito traced the whip back to its source they found that the owner was a girl with crimson red hair tied in twin pig tails, fair skin, ruby red eyes, and lips that are the color of cherry blossoms._

"Kazehaya Kamito!" the crimson haired lass yelled.

"Claire!" Kamito yelled in response due to recognizing the girl.

"Why were you getting so friendly with that person and Ellis even though you ran away from me?" Claire demands to know.

"Don't mind me I'm just a mercenary who happens to be a guy hired as an instructor on swordsmanship by the headmaster, so just go ahead with your business." Faro said clearly not wanting to get involved with this lover's spat.

"Wait Claire, I can almost see your panties from here!" Kamito yelled.

"Eeep. You pervert, you must really want me to burn you to cinders!" Claire yelled as she covered her skirt with her hands.

"Come on don't blame me, and besides it's still too early in the day for you to be wearing black!" Kamito pointed out.

"I told you I was wearing white! I always wear white! I only occasionally rare black… wait…. what are you trying to make me say?" Claire said as she drops to the ground with her face being as red as her hair.

"Are you sure you don't want to stop this?" Cenere asks.

"I could, but I don't want to do anything that could be constituted as favoritism just yet." Faro quietly answered.

"Jerk….. thanks to you I can't get married anymore." Claire sadly said as she starts balling on her knees.

"I'm sorry…. Don't cry, okay?" Kamito said as he gets on his knees next to Claire and had stretches his right hand near her had.

"I'm extremely generous, so I'll give you a chance to explain yourself." Claire said after wiping away her tears as she tries to act like a big girl. Why were you with that guy and that girl?" Claire asks referring to Faro and Ellis.

"Just like he said he's a new teacher who arrived here today, and Ellis was just showing the two of us around the school.

"Is he…." Claire starts to say.

"No, but you weren't the first person to ask that on our way here." Faro interrupts knowing that Clair was going to ask if he was a male elementaler like Kamito.

"Ah… okay… wait… show you around?" Clair asks as a confused look appears on her face.

"Starting today, I'm a transfer student here at Areishia Spirit Academy." Kamito explained as he stands up on his own two feet.

"Transferred? Yeah right. That can't be true since you're a guy." Claire said understandably out of disbelief.

"I'm a male spirit elementaler. I mean, you saw it yourself, didn't you?" Kamito explained.

"Oh yeah that's right. You stole the spirit I was contracting with away from me." Claire said with a look of annoyance on her face.

"And if I hadn't done that, you'd be dead right now." Kamito retorts, but with a serious expression on his face.

"Fine… I'll admit it….. You did help me out back there. I admitted it, so make a contract with me!" Claire yelled as she wagged her finger in Kamito's face.

"Fine…. I will. You just want me to make a spirit contract with you, right?" Kamito said as he relents on this issue.

"Y-yes, that's right. It's good that you're being obedient." Clair said as she crosses her arms across her chest.

"In that case… You know how to make a contract with a high-level humanoid spirit, don't you? It's contracted through a kiss…. Correct?" Kamito said as he walks towards Clair forcing her back to the wall.

_As Kamito places his right hand on the section of wall just above Claire's head, the crimson red haired lass starts blushing furiously as she clearly didn't expect Kamito to take such a direct approach._

"Well yeah, but we you know…. don't have to be that official about it." Claire said as she struggles to look Kamito in the eye.

"I'm not scared… um, it's just that…" Claire said as Kamito placed his hand around her chin.

"Close your eyes, then." Kamito whispers as he moves his face right next to his ear.

"Eh… wait…. eep. Wait I'm sorry, so just let this go…" Claire pleas as she truly believes that Kamito was about to kiss her.

"I'm sorry as well, but it's too late for that now." Kamito said as he continues to tease Claire.

"But, I…." Clair said as she tries to put up some kind of defense in response to the stress caused by the steamy appeal of this situation.

"Guess I should let her off the hook for now." Kamito thought.

_Before Kamito could even begin to explain to Claire that he was just messing with her….. he hears the sound of a metal thud impacting the wall next to him. He turns his head and finds that Faro is holding his large sword next to his neck._

"Now I don't care what you do with your girlfriend, but from today on I'm a teacher here at this school; so that means I have to act like one and the snake off at its head when I suspect two students start to develop an unhealthy relationship with one another." Faro explained.

"He thought I was being serious?" Kamito thought in shock as he thought he made his ploy obvious to Faro.

"Hey just what do you think you three are doing here at the sacred, Areishia Spirit Academy?" a feminine voice said.

_Kamito, Claire, Faro, and the still invisible Cenre turned around to find a young woman in her mid twenties, long black hair with on strand hanging over her left shoulder, she's wearing green black rimmed glasses, with a dark grey suit, and a large white coat._

"I was merely preventing an unnecessary public display of affection." Faro explained as he puts away his sword.

"Ms. Freya…." Clair said due to recognizing the teacher.

"I was just playing a bit of a prank, and I was about to explain myself when you came along." Kamito followed.

"What….. you were kidding? I swear I'd burn you to cinders right now if these two weren't here!" Clair yelled with anger as she referred to Ms. Freya and Faro while just barely managing to hold herself back from pouncing on Kamito with her metaphorical claws.

"Class is starting soon, so you two should get inside." Ms. Freya informed.

"Well I'll see you later." Faro said as he starts to turn down towards the nearby hallway corner.

"Not so fast Faro Leingeart." Ms. Freya said as she suddenly placed her hand on his shoulder stopping him in place.

"Is something wrong Ms. Freya?" Faro asks.

"Director Greyworth has told me about how you've had previous contracts as a mercenary instructor, but they were mostly grown men instead of the young sensitive maidens you'll see here." Ms. Freya explained.

"Could you please get to the point Ms. Freya? I'm certain you didn't stop me just to tell me something I already knew." Faro retorts.

"Teaching these maidens whether it be flower arrangement or in your case swordplay requires a certain combination of sensitivity and grace, and my point is that Greyworth believes you lack these two traits. She told me to tell you that she wants you to act as my TA for at least the first few weeks of your contract in order to gain at least a passable understanding of these qualities, so as a result you'll be following the three of us inside today." Ms. Freya calmly explained.

"If those are the orders of my employer Ms. Freya, then I shall comply without question." Faro retorts seeing as how he wouldn't have anything to do for the rest of the day otherwise.

* * *

><p><em>Claire, Faro, Kamito, and Cenere who is still in stealth mode follow Ms. Freya inside the Raven Classroom. Claire takes her assigned seat while Kamito and Faro stand on opposite sides of Ms. Freya at the teacher's podium. Still as expected…. the remaining students in this class all stare at Kamito and Faro with a great deal of curiosity and wanderlust.<em>

"Cinders… cinders… cinders…" Claire mumbled directing her rage towards Kamito while being surrounded by a dark crimson aura.

"Alright everyone listen up…. I have a couple of announcements to make before we start with morning lessons. The first is that the boy to my right in white is a male spirit elementaler, and he'll be transferring into our school and into our class effective immediately. The boy in black to my left is a mercenary instructor contracted by the headmaster, but he'll working as my TA for the first few weeks of his employment in order to get used to the wat things are done here." Ms. Freya announced.

_Immediately the entire class save for Claire went off onto their own discussions about Kamito and Faro. Some thought that the two of them were kind of cute, others had more derogatory words, a few were talking about the last time this all-girls school had a male instructor for anything, but they were all none the less curious about just what kind of people Kamito and Faro were._

"Calm down all of you. I don't want to have to deduct any points from your grades. You two go ahead and introduce yourselves so we can get class started already." Ms. Freya said after loudly tapping her notebook on the teacher's podium in order to get her class's attention.

"My name is Kazehaya Kamito, and I'm 16 years old. As you can see, I'm a male spirit elementaler, but I'd be very happy if we could all just get along despite that fact." Kamito said as he put a smile on his face and his hand across his chest.

"Cinders… cinders… cinders… cinders… cinders… cinders… cinders." Claire continued to mumble over and over again as she directed her rage towards Kamito whilst being surrounded by a dark crimson aura.

"Looks like my little prank definitely went too far. I had better apologize to her later, but I just hope she'll be willing to forgive me." Kamito thought.

"I'm the mercenary instructor Faro Leingeart also 16 of age. I've been contracted by the headmaster to teach supplementary lessons on swordplay to people the director recommended. I may look young, but I a more than capable instructor. If any of you here are among those the director recommended you'll be hearing the details later today. If the elemental waffe form of your spirit is some kind of sword and you're not on the list the director gave me then you're more than welcome to try and crash my class in order to improve your skills, but if it isn't then the rest of you are still just as welcome to come and learn." Faro said as he offered a respectful bow to these noble ladies not looking at any of them in the eye as if he were but a lowly citizen greeting his king.

"Wow those introductions were pretty standard if not downright normal." One female student whispers to her friend.

"Yeah bad boy and lone wolf looks aside, they actually seem pretty nice." The friend of that student whispered back.

"Do you thing will be different for you here Faro?" Cenre whispers into Faro's ears.

"I don't know if they we will be, but for some strange reason….. I'd like to think so." Faro whispers back.

* * *

><p><em>Make no mistake things will be different for Faro Leingeart and his family's stealthy guardian dragon spirit Cenere because they too have a role to play in the events to come, and that first domino in that chain of events has already fallen. Meanwhile several hours later, late into the evening in a large open area deep inside a seemingly random cave small cages line the wall. Inside each of these cages are a combination of women and men mostly women chained together, suffering from various stages of equally various illnesses, and all are demanding for their release or praying for someone important to them will be their rescuer. <em>

"Shut up the boss is having a meeting!" a random lackey yelled as he cracked his whip.

_At the very back of this cave is a sort of meeting area with a large table with chairs, shelves stacked with books, a few bits of art, and other classical amenities. Three individuals are at this particular table two somewhat well endowed women and one somewhat portly man, but their faces remain hidden due to a combination of the cave's shadows and the candle lights meant to get rid of them._

"How is your business of training servants going?" the semi-portly man asked.

_The portly man was dressed in fine yet practical blue clothed outfit with many pockets that seem to give him the appearance of a successful merchant._

"Thanks to our mutual arrangement my business is going rather well." the apparent boss of this operation said.

_The lesser of the two well endowed women and the apparent boss of this operation appears to be wearing a black and dark green combination light armor, but it's hard to be certain due to the level of lighting._

"And it has brought me much profit as well. I must thank you again for doing what I could not by break my daughter into being the perfect dutiful child." The semi-portly merchant said pointing to his apparent child on his left side.

_The daughter appears to be dressed in an all black cloth if not a color so dark it could be mistaken for black. It appears to cover her entire body to the point where she could even be a ninja. She stands to the right of her father as if acting the part of a loyal bodyguard._

"I must thank you father for removing those rude and abhorrent behaviors from me. I see myself as nothing more than a tool of your will like how all children should behave in front of your parents." The daughter says with so little emotion that it's as if a machine is speaking in her place.

"Still I have to admit I've dealt with some pretty messed up clients before, but you sir have balls if you're willing to make your own child go through my retraining." The boss of this operation said giving this portly merchant a compliment.

"It was a necessary procedure. My daughter is or rather was simply incapable of understanding how our family and our future descendants will only continue to suffer for as long as that family line still exists. Once she kills the last one…. her closest friend with her own hands she'll finally be free because when that happens I'll simply use the pre-agreed release word. Getting back to business however….. why did you call me here all of a sudden?" the semi-portly merchant asks.

"Oh yes… that relic you were looking for…. I know exactly where it will be 24 hours from now." the boss of this operation informed.

"Stop….. the boss is in the middle of a meeting! You can't go in there right now!" the flunky from earlier yelled.

_Before discussions concerning this mysterious relic could even begin, someone barged into the middle of this meeting. That someone was one of the puckish rogues who attempted to kidnap Minna not to long ago, but she was severely injured. There were several electrical burns all over her body, deep gashes all over her body, a deep cut over one of her eyes, and her left arm is missing._

"It should have been just over 12 hours since you tried to convince the target to work with us. I'm impressed you managed to make it back it back so quickly despite your injuries. Where's the person I sent you with?" the boss asks.

"She….. she didn't make it boss." The injured puckish rouge answered.

"Then the target put up more of a fight then the client said she was capable of. I'll have increase the fee accordingly then." the boss said to herself.

"It wasn't….. the target. We failed to grab her." The injured puckish rogue interjects.

"Excuse me?" the boss said clearly not believing what she heard.

"It was some goody good….. he had…. A do… double bladed sword, and…. lighting." The injured puckish rogue said as she struggles to stay conscious.

"What did this person look like?" the semi-portly merchant said clearly interested in the identity of the person who caused these injuries….. namely Faro.

"Blue…... eyes…. white hair…. and a…. scare shaped birthmark… over one eye." The injured puckish rogue said as she now teetering between life and death.

"Hahahaha….. at last I finally found you…. the last of that line. Soon my family will have its freedom." The semi-portly merchant as he starts to bust out into an evil laugh.

"I don't mean to interrupt your maniacal laughter, but the price on the information you want had just went up." The boss said.

"What? I was already paying you a significant sum of money." The semi-portly merchant said clearly angered by this news.

"Oh don't worry I don't want more of your money, but rather a favor for a favor if you're willing. A new client is offering me significantly several times my usual fee to break the will of a particular girl he's interested in, but as you can see the people I sent got beaten badly. Normally I'd send my best pair to deal with this, but they're out on another job and won't be back for a week." The boss explained.

"I'm a reasonable man… what would you need from me?" the semi-portly merchant said quickly changing his tone as he apparently considers this relic to be extremely important to me.

"First…. How exactly important is this relic?" the boss asks.

"It's a relic belonging to my great ancestor and to my clan, so it's very important to me and my daughter." The semi-portly merchant answered.

"In addition to giving you the location of the relic I'll even send some of my crew to assist you with acquiring it. You could refuse, but I doubt even you could pull a crew together on such short notice." The boss pointed out.

"And what do you want in turn?" the merchant asks.

"You're daughter has proven herself an extremely talented martial artist even defeating elementalers despite lacking a contract spirit of her own. Regardless of whether or not your attempt to acquire this relic is successful I'd like your daughter's assistance with my own job right after." The boss lady informed.

"You're asking me to risk what I hold dear in this life, so….. what makes you think I'll be willing to risk that?" the merchant retorts.

"It's clear my target was rescued by the person you want dead. There's only one place they could have gone from where I sent my people, and that place is where the relic will be in 24 hours. You'll get your property back, I get my target, and we'll both get revenge against the person that killed two of my people. It's killing three birds with one stone really." the boss lady said as she explained the benefits of this deal.

"Two? But boss lady I'm still alive I just need to see a doctor." The injured puckish rogue pointed out.

"Oh yes I almost forgot….. she's beyond help so somebody put her out of her misery." The boss lady said.

"Wait…. no.. !" the injured puckish rogue yelled as she screamed her final scream.

"So do we have a deal?" the boss lady asks as she holds out her hand.

"Yes….. we have deal." The portly merchant said confirming his newfound deal with a firm handshake.

* * *

><p><strong>To Be Continued<strong>

Greyworth: I have job for you, and a couple of your new friends.

Faro: What is it?

Greyworth: To guard a sealed spirit until a member of the numbers can come and pick it up for transport to its final destination.

Faro: It can't be….. you're alive….. Oh um Next time on Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance: Destiny's Blood Ties "Awakening Sword!".

Eula: Yes I am, and will have my freedom.


End file.
